Where I was and where I am going…..
You say the world’s an eventful place
You give me news
I don’t want to know
You say that I should care
That I should speak my mindOh, but how can I speak of the world
Rushing by
With a lump in my throat
And tears in my eyes
Oh, have we come to the point of no turning back
Or is it still time to get into
The swing of thingsLyrics — Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
Reading other ROWers check-ins has been extra inspiring of late. All those “the ick is over, and I’m finally starting to make headway” posts would hearten anyone, but especially for me. There is a universal nature here that adds to the supportive nature of a Round of Words in 80 Days. Truly, We Are Not Alone.
For myself things began to move more smoothly as if by chance last Friday. I’m not sure of exactly why, but I’m content to allow the Fates their moment and take reduced stress and time home with family for the gift it was. Right now, I’m getting back into a groove.
This sometimes worries me. After all, a groove is a rut as well. Do we as writers necessarily want to become stuck in our patterns? I don’t know. What do you think?
I do know that I’m finding some comfort in the “expectation of achievement” at the moment. Simply having to write these check-ins inspires me to do something so there will be something to post. Even if it’s just to say “I’m getting back into the Swing of Things!”
Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m all caught up. Catching up strikes me as a futile concept. I simply accept that I am starting new, with the same process, the same goals, the same direction. I will get where I am going, but I will arrive late. I refuse to rush myself to make up for lost time and risk an accident or burn out. I’m very blessed to have this luxury and thank those in my life who make this possible daily.
And I can say… Yep. Got some stuff done.
- New posts (two yesterday),
- a book review almost finished,
- catching up on emails (for blogs and beta reads)…
- Heck, I even managed a #teamsprint yesterday,
- and worked in some file conversions and editing of Release.
Release is actually causing me some serious emotional hassles. Kait Nolan (with her super power of writing posts that seem directly related to a personal dilemma of the moment) wrote a post that captures these hassles in spades. That’s the trouble with writing a story that has pre-history and then writing the back-story later….
Just to get my head straight, I’m looking for a few beta readers on it. It’s a long story (I just compiled it in Scrivener and … well, at 483 paperback pages, it needs trimming), but I’m looking for basic “does this fit in these parameters” (which I’ll send with the story) basics. If it does… then I will feel more inspired to do that trimming before sending it to market.
Many Worlds From Many Minds 
Eden, don’t worry, grooves are good as far as writing is concerned! What’s bad in writing (rut-like) is telling the same story over and over again, but that has nothing to do with finding the time to write.
As far as your WIP is concerned, I would suggest trying to find an online critique group where you could send it through, chapter by chapter. Best would be one specific to your genre, so the expectations of you and your critique partners would be comparable.
Good luck!
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Hmm, I hope I’m not writing the same story over and over again. Sometimes I worry about that too when I sense common threads appearing, but it fades with revision and attention to detail.
As for Release, it has been workshopped through Critters (back when Critters used to deal solely Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror) once already. In it’s present condition, I would call it “Draft 1.5 after critique revisions”. But I’m not looking for a critique. I need someone who would be willing to read it solely with a sense of “worldview” and any potential conflicts they might see with the story universe I am creating (and yes, I will provide specifics on that).
However, it’s not my WiP. I wrote it almost ten years ago. Ran it through some critique groups with generally decent results, and even submitted it to the slush readers at Tor (who were incredibly kind despite rejecting it). Last year, I picked it up, dusted it off and started looking at it more critically. I think it’s ready for a second round, but I would like some beta reading for a sense of direction (so to speak).
Your idea of doing it by chapters again, however does make sense.
Thanks for visiting and your thoughtful words. Have a great week! 😀
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Thanks for the introduction to “The Swing of Things,” which you are always in, it seems to me. Like you, I don’t believe in catching up–it’s too linear for me–I just go forward, something you do quite well I’ve noticed. Always, I’m impressed at the amount of writing you do.
Karen
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It’s funny, because I never feel like I’m doing much writing…. But thank you for saying this. I needed a bit of a boost today. And I hope you enjoyed the song. While Swing of Things seemed to fit the mood of this post, truly I don’t see it as one of their best songs. Lifelines, I’ve Been Losing You, or Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale are among my personal favorites.
But really, there are so many wonderful things out there, I’m delighted to share with other all that I love (both the giving and receiving!) Thanks for being so supportive, Karen. It’s always wonderful having you visit.
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I think a rut is good, if it means one is writing every day. I have a rut of being up every morning, which is the only quiet time I have to write. I’m glad you had some time with your family, and saw it as a positive thing. Good luck on Release!
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You’re probably right. A rut seems so negative, but I’m sure it’s just the fault of association. Patterns are useful. My own “writing rut” involves staying up late (though early morning would be more useful for getting our son to school on time, it almost never happens) and hoping my music doesn’t keep the household awake while I dream and type.
Thanks for the well wishes and the visit.
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